A Running Life: Ann Trason

Ann Trason won the Western States Endurance Run women's race 14 times, twice beating all of the men but one. During her career, which spanned from the late 1980s through 2004, she set world records for 50 miles, 100K, 12 hours, and 100 miles. Her course records still stand at prestigious ultras across the country, including the Leadville Trail 100 (18:06). Trason, however, doesn't hold much regard for her accolades; at age 54, she'd rather discuss just about anything but the trail she blazed in the sport.

My dad took me when I was a preteen to a track practice because I had a lot of energy and there weren't a lot of sports for girls. They started an all-girls program. It was incredible. It really affected my life.

I'm coaching middle school now. They fall in love with it. I was very much like that. The movement, the freedom, the camaraderie. It was all there in a package.

When I was 20, I idolized Sally Edwards—I read an article saying she had done a 50-miler, and I could not believe that anyone could run 50 miles. I was in awe. Six weeks later, I was entered in the American River 50.

I coach online now, and my athletes say there is so much information, they don't know how to decipher it. It was the opposite for me. I showed up and I didn't have a water bottle. I didn't know about eating—I thought you just got drinks at the aid stations.

I thought after the 50, I was done. It was so hot. So miserable. Then a friend took me to the Western States course and the first 30 miles changed my life. It was like the trail was my home. I'm not a Zen person, so this is really weird for me. I'm not one of these feel-good types that have all these stories like that, but it was just this feeling I had. It just stayed with me.

What I think I excelled at was staying in the moment and really thinking about my body and problem-solving. To be a really good ultrarunner, you have to be thinking all the time and working with the course and working with yourself. I'm not that talented of a runner.

I've always just looked at 100 miles as life in a day. You have all the trials and tribulations of a life in one day.

The press made more out of the races than I ever did. I didn't think about anyone else while racing, no matter what's been written about me. I was competing against Ann. I was embarrassed and shy.

Everyone talks about how I came in second overall at Leadville. But the thing that really bugged me was that I didn't break 18 hours. That's all I cared about. But, hey, if you want to write about Tarahumaras and whatever else, go ahead. When I got to the last aid station, I knew I wasn't going to break 18 hours and that broke my heart. Not a very interesting story; it's kind of boring, but that's the reality.

I had an undiagnosed ACL injury for 10 years of my career. I don't know how I ran on it. It was incredibly painful.

I took 10 years off to ride a bike, because the person I was with couldn't run anymore. Then we broke up and I missed my friends. I may not be able to compete, but those bonds, they don't break.

I have to have knee surgery again pretty soon, so my running might be over. I could dwell on it. But I can live vicariously through a lot of people right now.

I'm a bit of a gym rat. I have a spin group and my second office is the elliptical. I love backpacking. I have to be outside a lot, too. Four hours of exercise is what makes me happy. All day, even better.

I was just doing what I love to do. I don't like to be the center of attention. We're all out there trying to finish Western States—it never felt like I was better than anybody else.

Wisdom for Ultrarunners

"Have patience. For a lot of people, it takes years. Give yourself time and enjoy. Not all the rewards are going to happen the first season. Follow your passion.